Electric light fixture for fluorescent lamps



May 30, 1950 L. G. MART] ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS Filed March 18, 1946 Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC LIGHT FIXTURE FOR FLUORES- CENT LAMPS 2 Claims.

My invention relates to electric fixtures of that type employing fluorescent lighting elements. An object of the invention is the production of a fixture of its kind which can be connected by an ordinary electrical socket and maintained in effective illuminating position by any usual type of lighting fixture whether stationary or portable and in which the socket opens in any direction. Another object is to arrange and hold the lighting tubes in a lamp shade so that the light rays are cast and diffused evenly, with the result that the light is evenly balanced and thereby prevents eye strain. Another object is to provide a fluorescent lighting fixture which can be used in the ordinary floor lamp, or by turning the unit top for bottom it can be used in the ordinary table lamp, the shade and fluorescent lighting unit being so constructed that the shade will fit the fluorescent unit in either position while the illuminating tubes are maintained in effective lighting position. Another object is the production of a self-contained fluorescent lamp unit or fixture, that is rugged in construction and within the price range that popular demand requires, which can be installed in an ordinary lamp fixture substantially without the use of tools or mechanical ability, and which provides adequate and rigid support for a lamp shade which is made to fit the housing of the fixture. A still further object is to combine with the lighting tubes shielding and noise filtering means so as to prevent radio interference during the operation of the fluorescent tubes.

Wth these and other objects in view my invention comprises the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a vertical central section showing my improved fluorescent lighting fixture including its lamp shade, the whole being connected and supported in the socket of an ordinary portable electric floor lamp, a portion only of the latter being shown; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a detail portion of the lamp shade which is adapted to be securely held by the housing of my improved fluorescent lamp fixture; Fig. 4 is a section of a detail portion of the fluorescent lamp fixture housing showing one of the terminals by which the connecting contact members on one end of one of the fluorescent lamp tubes is mounted upon the housing and connected with the electrical service supply circuit; and Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of an end portion of one of the fluorescent tubes which is adapted to be secured in the terminal shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings which show one particular form of the invention, A represents the housing of the fluorescent lamp fixture which is of surficient length and of vertical height to support two or more pairs of fluorescent lamp tubes externally on opposite vertical sides. The housing is hollow and thus provides a receptacle which is of substantially oblong shape. It resembles a hollow parallelepiped but its side and end surfaces may be varied in shape for the purposes desired. It may be made out of pressed fiber, plastic, metal or any other suitable material. Extending laterally and horizontally from each of the opposite end portions of each of the opposite sides Ill and H of the housing are two vertically spaced electrical terminal socket members l2 which are suitable for connecting and supporting fluorescent lamp tubes of the two terminal elements which are arranged one vertically above the other near each end portion of each side of the housing and the longitudinal horizontal pairs thus provided on each of the sides l8 and l I of the housing are so arranged as to receive the terminal elements or pins i3 and support two of the fluorescent lamp tubes, one directly above the other in parallel relation and in substantially horizontal position and out of contact with the housing as shown.

Each of the terminal socket members I 2, as shown in Fig. 4, may be composed of insulating material and has the pair of spring contact members M and i5 and a suitable guide channel t6, the walls of which are adapted to coact with the contact members so that the terminal pins 13 on the opposite ends of a fluorescent tube may enter the socket member by the channel It and by partial revolution of the tube, said terminal pins may be engaged to form a firm connection between the electrical conducting members and rigidly support the illuminating tubes. The inner enlarged portion ll of the terminal socket member is held in the housing and has screw terminals such as 18 leading from each of the contacts by which suitable portions of a1ocal operating circuit in the housing may be connected. The type of terminal socket member employed is well known and in general use for releasably connecting fluorescent lighting tubes and its construction is thus well understood.

The fluorescent lighting tubes B are held in spaced relation to each other and to the surfaces of the housing to reduce tendency of static discharge between the surfaces of the tubes and the body of the fixture. The housing A as shown in Fig. 2 is of oblong shape vertically and provides sufficient height so that a plurality of fluorescent lighting tubes may be supported on each vertical side of the housing horizontally and clearly spaced apart.

The fluorescent tubes 20 and 2! constituting the upper pair on opposite sides of the supporting housing A are connected by a local electric circuit not shown and are adapted to be manually controlled by the conveniently located switch 24 in the housing as shown in Fig. 1. In like manner the fluorescent tubes 25 and 26 constituting the lower pair on opposite sides of the housing A are connected into a separate local electrical circuit and are adapted to be manually controlled by the switch 28 in the housing. Both pairs of tubes may thus be operated according to the amount or intensity of illumination desired.

The housing including the fluorescent tubes and their controlling elements constitute a self contained unit the controlling circuits of which are adapted to be connected to the supporting electrical connecting plug 29, the latter being secured rigidly to the upper side of the housing so that said unit may be secured in a cooperating supporting electric supply socket such as 30. As shown in Fig. 1 the socket 39 is connected to a portable lamp stand 3! a portion only of the latter being illustrated. By this connection the housing hangs downwardly but it will be understood that the housing may be inverted or secured at any angle to be supported by a socket upwardly, sidewise or in any position desired.

Suitable ballast lamps 32 for the fluorescent lighting tubes, it will be noted are employed in the local circuit of each set of tubes, said lamps being mounted in replaceable exposed position on the housing; Thus by the use of the manual starting switches 24 and 28 either an upper or lower pair, or both pairs of the fluorescent tubes can be energized according to the amount of illumination that is desired.

The ballast lamps are placed so close between the fluorescent tubes near their ends as to reduce stroboscopic effect of the tubes.

As is well known, radios are extremely sensitive to interference caused by the operation of fluorescent tubes. To prevent said interference a coarsely woven fine wire screen is secured in spaced relation around the tubes on each side of the housing as shown. Each of the screens 35 and 36 (Fig. 2) is shaped over and spaced from the companion set of tubes and is detachably secured by its edges to the housing by spring clips 3.! or other suitable means. The screens are adapted to be grounded and thus conduct any radiation from the tubes and prevent radio interference. Filters (not shown) of usual construction may also be included in suitable circuits including the screens to reduce noise.

My invention also contemplates the use of a lamp shade D, the covering 45 of which is shown secured in the usual manner upon a skeleton frame E by any usual means such as lacing wrapped around parts of the framework and through the covering. The frame of the shade is provided with means for releasably engaging the housing when the unit is secured in a socket either downwardly as shown or upwardly when the housing is inverted, comprising the threaded plug 29 which is secured upwardly in a corresponding socket 30 such as when the unit is used in connection with an ordinary portable stand. The frame E has upper and lower elongated horizontal wire supporting loops 41 and 48 between which a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined wire struts 49 are secured at horizontally spaced intervals. Supports F for the shade near each of its end portions are provided, each of which has a yoke 50 (Fig. 3). This yoke corresponds in size and shape to detachably engage transversely over the opposite ends of the upper surface of the housing. Each yoke is provided with downwardly projecting rectangular end portions 5| which are adapted to freely engage over the opposite sides of the housing to retain the shade laterally. Said yokes are rigidly connected to the end portions of the upper loop 41 by downwardly extending struts 52 and 53, as shown, to rigidly connect and brace the supports and frame E together as a unit. These supports thus prevent relative longitudinal, lateral and vertical movement of the shade on the housing when the latter assumes the position shown in the drawings or is inverted for different types of use. They also permit the shade to be easily removed when it is desired to replace any of the fluorescent tubes, adjust any of its parts, or vary the position in which the fixture is used.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the construction thereof which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the spirit thereof and the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a self-contained fluorescent lamp unit having a longitudinally extended oblong service housing on which horizontally disposed fluorescent lamp tubes are supported on its opposite elongated sides, a lamp shade removably supported on said housing, having a skeleton frame formed with downwardly extended supporting members corresponding with the opposite end portions of said housing, each of said supporting members comprising a downwardly directed crotch adapted to engage the opposite sides of the housing to limit lateral movement, and an abutment on the crotch engaging an end portion of the housing whereby the shade is substantially immovably supported both laterally and longitudinally on said oblong housing.

2. In a self-contained fluorescent lamp unit having a horizontal oblong service housing on which horizontally disposed fluorescent lamp tubes are supported on a pair of its opposite sides and having an electric service outlet on one side which permits the lamp unit to be supported while in horizontal position either in hanging position from above or upon a support from below when reversed, and a lamp shade removably supported on said housing having a skeleton frame formed with downwardly extended supporting members corresponding with the opposite end portions of said housing when the housing is supported in hanging position from above or when reversed and supported from below, each of said supporting members on said shade comprising a downwardly directed crotch adapted to engage the opposite sides of the housing to limit lateral movement and end abutment means between said frame and housing whereby the shade is substantially immovably supported both laterally and longitudinally on said oblong housing when the latter assumes reversed positions. 10

LYALL G. MARTI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Moore Oct. 16, 1928 Thornton July 21, 1936 Phillips May 23, 1940 Pieper Feb. 10, 1942 Wilson June 2, 1942 Yost Nov. 10, 1942 Sohumaker Mar. 23, 1943 Abernathy Aug. 24, 1943 Kuhns Sept. 21, 1943 Fuchs May 30, 1944 Winkler et a1. Dec. 19, 1944 Biller Aug. 14, 1945 Maurette Dec. 18, 1945 Walsh Sept. 2, 1947 

